NEWS
West Virginia University School of Medicine
WVU School of Medicine Recognized as Model for Training Physicians in Nutrition and Lifestyle Education
As national momentum grows to strengthen nutrition education in United States medical schools, West Virginia University( WVU) School of Medicine was recognized as a longstanding leader in training future physicians to recognize and address chronic disease through evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine.
The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U. S. Department of Education recently announced that 53 medical schools across 31 states have voluntarily committed to significantly expanding nutrition education, aiming to equip future doctors with at least 40 hours of nutrition-focused instruction beginning in 2026.
While this represents a transformative shift for many institutions, WVU School of Medicine has already built a national model that began in 2013 and far surpasses these proposed standards.
“ What began with a dean’ s teaching grant on our Health Sciences Eastern Campus more than a decade ago has blossomed into a program and curriculum that other universities now model,” Clay Marsh, MD, chancellor and executive dean for WVU Health Sciences, said.“ Our faculty educators and curriculum committee have worked tirelessly over the years to create the Medical Student Curriculum in Healthy Eating, Exercise, and Food, known as MedCHEFS; Culinary Lifestyle Medicine track; Food as Medicine educational effort; and a formal curriculum thread in the medical degree program, and they are so deserving of this recognition.”
Comprehensive, Multi-Layered Nutrition and Lifestyle Curriculum
WVU medical school curriculum, determined by a committee that adheres to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education’ s accreditation requirements, includes approximately 67.5 hours of nutrition education, with an additional 225 hours available through the optional Culinary Lifestyle Medicine track, demonstrating one of the most comprehensive offerings of its kind in the nation. The curriculum emphasizes rural health, obesity care, and interprofessional practice, reflecting the specific needs of West Virginia communities.
To further strengthen this foundation, WVU School of Medicine has proposed curriculum enhancements that would raise total required nutrition instruction to 47.5 hours from 40 hours of a student ' s total 107.5 elective hours, integrating competencies across all four years of medical training. These enhancements target gaps in core nutrition exposure and align with nationally recognized nutrition competencies.
“ In a state with a high burden of chronic disease, it is essential that medical students understand the role of nutrition in prevention and treatment,” Laura Davisson, MD, professor of medicine and director of obesity medicine fellowship, said.“ As WVU School of Medicine ' s nutrition thread director, I’ m proud WVU has been recognized as a leader in nutrition education, ensuring that our students receive evidence-based training, can critically evaluate nutrition research, and collaborate effectively with colleagues such as registered dietitians to provide the best patient care.”
26 • www. wvsma. org